Chapter 1371: Choice : Consequence
With nothing but a loose white robe covering their body, Solon's frustration reached the limit, the vein in their temple pulsating as they shouted, "Stop making this awkward! Seriously, there isn't even anything to see! Look...!!"
As if to make their point, Solon swiftly removed their robe, revealing the complex runic formation and confirming the fact they lacked a gender. Rather, much like a Spirit, they were bereft of both a navel and teats. Despite this, Vahn noted that Solon's body still had a distinctly feminine structure as, rather than completely flat, there were very small mounds to denote their breasts. At the same time, though it lacked any semblance of a sexual organ, their mons pubis appeared to possess a certain tenderness to it, much like the barren parts of a doll.
Since Solon seemed more troubled by the fact he had turned away, Vahn didn't bother looking away as he stood up and casually remarked, "Come, let me take a look at your back. I'll need to get a basic understanding of those runes on your body before placing the Familia Crest."
Seeing how Vahn had adopted a casual yet professional demeanor, courtesy of his practice as both a masseur and a stylist, Solon was able to gradually calm down. Then, in response to Vahn's statement, they explained, "I can't really fathom what you're capable of so I won't say you'll be unable to crack this formation. Assuming you do...well, I guess I can only hope you don't destroy it. In this state, I am literally laid bare to you so, if you take advantage of my vulnerable state, I vow to curse you until the end of time..."
Hearing Solon's remark, Vahn was tempted to roll his eyes but, rather than upset them further, he used Telekinesis to move both chairs, calmly stating, "You needn't worry about such things. Despite what some might attest, I rarely do anything even remotely similar to subterfuge. Besides, I have no need to mess with the formation on your body, at least not in the way you might fear. I can already determine most of its functions just by looking at it so trust me when I say it won't be an issue."
Finding Vahn's statement to be somewhat difficult to believe, Solon pointed toward the circle at the center of their chest, asking, "What does this do?"
This time, Vahn really did roll his eyes before answering in a dull tone, "That is the false core of your formation. It converts Magical Energy into Life Energy, rerouting it to the triangular formation on the inside of your left thigh. That one feeds through the root point at the base of your spine, refining it into the various forms of energy your body needs to restructure itself when damaged. Though I'd have to check in order to be certain, I'm guessing the excess energy is stored within your marrow since you seem to lack Magic Circuits...?"
With every word Vahn said, Solon appeared progressively more gloomy as it was never pleasant to have your secrets exposed so easily. This formation was the culmination of several hundred years of research, not something a person just saw through at a glance. Though it didn't really surprise them, as Vahn was their textbook definition of a 'monster', Solon was still bothered by how casually he had said everything.
Without dignifying him with a response, Solon sat down in the provided chair with their back facing him. The backrest was too high for them to rest their arms against but, feeling greatly exasperated, Solon just planted their forehead against it without a word. This left Vahn standing there with a wry smile on his face before he positioned his own chair so that he was sitting behind them.
Since Solon hadn't deigned to wrap anything around their lower body, Vahn was able to see the line of their back, and what it connected to, with clarity. This caused him to shake his head slightly as, for a number of reasons, Solon triggered his parental instincts. Though they had nothing to conceal, the fact Solon behaved without any shame whatsoever was somewhat troubling
Deciding not to let it bother him, as there really wasn't any reason it should, Vahn traced his finger along a few of the runes on Solon's back, muttering, "This really is quite the masterpiece...without help from Scáthach, I doubt I would be able to create a formation like this from scratch. Changing it won't be a problem, however..."
With Solon apparently ignoring him, Vahn chose to focus on analyzing both their body and the runic structure covering it. While the pattern on the surface was the main component, it was merely a way to transfer and absorb various types of energy into the body itself. This meant, any changes to the formation would have to take into consideration the structure of Solon's body, not that this was any different from the norm. It used the same principle as the Ouroboros Seal and the Mark of Fertility so Vahn was very familiar with the necessary considerations.
What Vahn found truly fascinating was the fact that Solon's body wasn't actually comprised of flesh and blood. Instead, it was formed from the substance most commonly referred to as Liquid Clay, an inert form of Ether. Normally, it would be impossible to maintain such a structure for a long period of time but, within Solon's body, something very similar to a magic core pulsed in their chest like a beating heart. This was where things got truly interesting as, instead of a circulatory system, nerves, muscles, and other forms of tissue, Solon's body was suffused with a network of vein-like roots, all 'growing' from the central core...
Though it would probably earn him a biting remark from Solon, Vahn realized the peculiar green-haired Magus was basically a Plant Spirit that had fused with an extremely advanced golem. Its form merely emulated the biological processes of a normal human being as, despite the fact Solon clearly seemed to breathe, they didn't have lungs. Instead, the roots in their body processed the oxygen for them, dispersing it out from microscopic pores on their body...
Vahn imagined Da Vinci would be very keen on studying Solon's constitution but, with a job to do, he dismissed the thought, asking, "Is your internal structure fixed or can you alter it freely? Based on what I can see, you should be able to change form without much difficulty."
Since Vahn's words required an actual response this time, Solon released a false sigh before shaking their head and saying, "This is the form I took after reconciling all of the memories stored within my mind. If I tried to take another form, there is a chance I would relapse into that state. You'll need to come up with a different solution...I'd rather die than go through that again..."
Making a mental note to avoid such a touchy subject in the future, Vahn mulled over a few options within his mind before ultimately leaving the decision to Solon, explaining, "There are two methods available to circumvent your peculiar circumstances. The first option involves creating a new body for you, one with the exact same form but an actual system of Magic Circuits. Scáthach would be able to recreate the formation on your current body, adapting it to your new vessel..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Solon fell silent for nearly a full minute before finally asking, "And the second option?"
As there were very few people that were willing to give up their 'original' body, Vahn wasn't all that surprised by Solon's response. Thus, without missing a beat, he explained, "The second method is to create a system of artificial Magic Circuits within your body. It will be a very painful process but I can guarantee a one-hundred percent success rate. I would have to check on your body as it develops to make sure there are no sequelae, however, so keep that in mind."
With one option requiring them to give up their body and the other only promising a bit of pain, it wasn't really a matter to consider, at least within Solon's mind. This form may have caused them a lot of problems in the past but it was still the form they had taken for nearly three-thousand years. Pain wasn't something they feared so, without taking time to consider the offer, Solon stated, "This is my body; I choose to keep it..."
Hearing their response, Vahn gave an understanding nod but, fearing Solon severely underestimated the pain they would experience, he explained, "It is going to feel like hot magma is tearing through your body. I'll be building the template within your Spiritual Body so your pain tolerance will provide no reprieve...are you ready?"
Vahn's tone made it pretty clear that the process wouldn't be pleasant but, having made up their mind, Solon just nodded their head. They were tempted to ask how long it would take but, fearing he would say something along the lines of 'several days', they decided not to. Instead, they grit their teeth with considerable force, steeling themselves for what was to come.
If he didn't think Solon would freak out and misinterpret his intentions, Vahn would have explained his [Hands of Nirvana] and the process of Nirvana Rebirth. Though there were no guarantees, there was a fair chance the procedure would be relatively painless if Solon trusted him enough to leave themselves completely at his mercy. However, with the unique structure of their body, Vahn didn't have absolute confidence in completing the process so, trusting his gut, he opted to remain silent.
Since there was no sense in delaying the matter further, Vahn placed his hand against Solon's back before steeling himself for what was to come. In truth, it would be easier to have them lay down on their back but, with Solon already burying their face into the chair's backrest, he allowed them to stay put. It didn't really matter what position they were in, so long as they didn't thrash around too much and interrupt the process.
To prevent this, Vahn sent his Source Energy directly into the main 'stem' of Solon's body, probing to see how it would react. Fortunately, as it was almost entirely comprised of Life Energy, something he was intimately familiar with, Vahn had no trouble at all expanding his energy through their network without trigger its defenses. He had gotten much better at manipulating his energy inside the bodies of other people so, if he maintained his focus, it was possible to elude the senses of even the most skilled Magi...
After about twenty minutes had passed without any pain whatsoever, Solon began to feel anxious as their body was behaving in a completely unexpected way. They could feel something akin to warmth spreading through their body, filling it far beyond its capacity. As a result, their hair began to grow at a visible rate and, though it was a much slower process, even their body began to grow as a pleasant and irresistible feeling of jubilation began to invade their mind.
Though he couldn't see their face, Vahn could tell Solon was feeling both excited and confused. He even suspected they were smiling slightly while hiding their face against the back of the chair. Sadly, he had to be the bearer of bad news, explaining in a calm tone, "This is just the preliminary phase of the procedure. Feel free to enjoy it but don't expect things will continue in this manner. If you don't steel yourself for what is to come, the sudden shift from pleasure to pain might break your mind..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Solon forcibly suppressed the happy feelings bubbling up inside them, even though part of them wanted to wallow in them for all eternity. Though not an exact comparison, it was almost like a plant that had been starved for water, sunlight, and nutrients receiving all of them at the same time. Solon couldn't even remember the last time they had felt genuinely happy so, to hear Vahn's reminder of what awaited them, they couldn't help harboring a bit of resentment toward him.
Fortunately, that resentment may have been the very thing that saved them as, shortly after Vahn's warning, Solon felt a sudden and spontaneous surge of pain. It felt like thorns had erupted in their body but, instead of influencing their physical form, it felt like pain being inflicted on their very soul. Nothing could have prepared them for something so excruciating and, if not for the fact Vahn had basically seized control over their body prior to the start of the second phase, it would have been impossible for them to sit silently. Now, they could only scream within their mind as their mouth was incapable of producing a sound to represent what they were experiencing...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That's a very nice secret you have there...would be a shame if someone were to see through it (e . e)...','Basically a tree with fleshy bits~','Heaven to Hell in three paragraphs~')
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Chapter 1372: Between Dreams and Reality
Amidst an endless sea of blossoming flowers, a youthful figure could be seen resting peacefully atop a small hill. There was a gentle breeze flowing over the land, bringing with it a cooling effect and a pleasant aroma, easing the heat from the vibrant golden sun above.
Suddenly, like someone who had overslept on the day of an important event, the figure startled into a seated position, their breathing ragged and anxious as they took in their surroundings. For a brief moment, confusion colored their peculiar blue-pink eyes as the cool breeze caused their long green hair to flow gently with the wind.
While others would be calm in this situation, the figure, Solon, bounded to their feet with a troubled expression on their face as they exclaimed, "I know you're the one behind this, you flowery bastard! Get out here, right this instant...!!"
Following Solon's outburst, another breeze passed through the endless sea of flowers, this time with a bit more force. Solon was forced to shield their eyes due to their own disobedient hair, their face forming a frown as Merlin manifested in front of them with his usual, irritating, smile. With his arrival, the wind quickly died down but, due to their current garb, Solon was the victim of a vexatious and breezy feeling that soured their mood considerably.
Before Solon could lash out at him, Merlin laughed in a lighthearted manner before musing, "That dress looks good on you, Solon-chan~."
Triggered by Merlin's teasing, Solon flipped through the air with tremendous force, kicking him in the face with the heel of their foot. This sent Merlin crashing through the endless garden of flowers but, after coming to a stop, he rose to his feet without a single injury. After all, within a Dreamscape like this, he had an absolute, inviolable, advantage.
After dusting off his robe a bit, Merlin casually caught Solon's second attack with his bare hand. He then tossed the green-haired Magus to the side where, seemingly in an instant, a large maw formed of twisted vines and flowers chomped down on their body. At the same time, Merlin mused, "I would have thought you had learned your lesson by now. Even if this is your Dreamscape, you will never be able to defeat me~."
Following Merlin's words, the complex web of roots, vines, and flowers suddenly erupted as a much larger version of Solon appeared, their face forming an aggrieved expression. In response, Merlin's own size increased until he towered over the green-haired Magus who, before they noticed it, was forced to wear a frilly frock with a large ribbon on their chest.
Though they were beyond frustrated, Solon ultimately plopped down onto the ground and sprawled out with a defeated expression. Merlin was a complete monster within a Dreamscape so, even if they were twice as annoyed, there wasn't really anything they could do against him. In the past, Merlin had made this 'very' clear, to the point Solon had forgone sleep for long periods of time for fear he would prey on them once again.
With Solon turning obedient, Merlin lightly tapped his staff against the ground. In the next moment, Solon was wearing their usual white robes, seated in an ornate golden chair with white cushions. This caused them to breathe a sigh of relief before asking, "Why are you here? I don't recall arranging to meet with you any time soon. Rather, I'm certain...something important was happening...?"
Recalling things from the real world within a Dreamscape was a lot harder than normal as your mind was in a state of unconsciousness. As a result, your subconscious mind was in control while inside, an element very few people had control over. People like Vahn and Merlin were exceptions to this but, having no affinity with Dreams whatsoever, Solon couldn't help but struggle to recall what had been taking place prior to finding themselves within the Dreamscape.
This peculiar state was something that could be readily exploited by those with the capabilities of manipulating dreams. After all, the conscious mind of a person was heavily influenced by whatever happened to their subconscious self. Because of this, it was possible to make suggestions and leave deep impressions on the mind, often without the person themselves realizing it had happened. In the past, Merlin had used this to teach Artoria the basics of [Instinct] as, by training in her dreams, a place where she could go far beyond her limits, her conscious mind recalled them instinctually.
Now, Merlin had appeared for an entirely different purpose, explaining, "In order to preserve itself, your mind completely shut down during a procedure taking place outside. Though the odds weren't that high, there was a non-negligible chance you would lose yourself if left unattended. To prevent a series of tragic events from taking place, I decided to intervene. For now, you should focus on just relaxing your mind as much as possible. You should know that the more you pay attention to things in the Dreamscape, the longer you will be stuck inside~."
Hearing Merlin's explanation, Solon felt like they were on the brink of recalling what had happened. This caused the previously blue sky to turn slightly chaotic but, with a simple wave, Merlin made the emergent stormclouds vanish in an instant. Then, to deter Solon from stressing over something they shouldn't, Merlin deterred them by musing, "Would you like to play dress-up and tag~?"
A stark contrast to their conscious self, the subconscious Solon immediately shrank down when they heard Merlin's words. They abruptly became the size of a porcelain doll as they replied in a demure whisper, "No...I think I'll just sleep..." To this, Merlin just gave a small nod before waving his hand and summoning a comfortable bed for Solon to make use of...
---
Though it didn't require nearly as much focus as Nirvana Rebirth, Vahn still had to focus his mind for nearly three hours to complete Solon's operation. Fortunately, the process became a lot easier when Solon lost consciousness. This allowed him to easily manipulate their body, extending their arms and legs so that they were straighter. This was an awkward process but, in order to complete the task as quickly as possible, Vahn ignored his misgivings.
In the end, Solon's body seemed to have aged a fair amount as, instead of a small child, they looked like a teenager. Vahn noticed that their body didn't 'develop' further than the budding mounds that had been present prior to the procedure but, considering Solon didn't identify as either gender, it would have been a little strange if they suddenly sprouted breasts.
Since it was a good opportunity, Vahn went ahead and modified the structure of the runic formation covering their body before placing a smaller version of his Familia Crest on their back. This gave him the chance to view Solon's current status and, seeing their race and age, Vahn was able to confirm a few of his suspicions.
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[Status]
Name: [Solon Yggdrasil]
Age: 4943
Race: Ethereal Spirit of the World Tree, Human(?)
Strength: 19E
Endurance: 25D+++
Agility: 44B+
Magical Power: 50A+
Good Luck: 28D-
Circuit Quality: EX
Noble Phantasm: [Seal of Yggdrasil:A++]
Origin: World, Fate, Life
Skills: [Yggdrasil's Heir: Innate:EX], [Pioneer of the Stars:Innate:C+], [Well of Fate's Vessel:Innate:B], [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception(False):A], [High-Speed Incantation:A], [Physical Resistance:B], [Magic Resistance:B],
Magic: [Yggdrasil's Blessing: Innate:S]
Magecraft: [Transmutation:S], [Divination:S], [Mystic Codex:EX]
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Though it was impossible to be certain, the fact Solon had four Innates all but guaranteed they were a Tier 4 entity. If they had been able to obtain a Divinity, they would have become a God a long time ago, potentially even replacing the original Yggdrasil.
Some might not consider Yggdrasil a God but, considering it possessed a will of its own, gave birth to a myriad of gods, held up nine realms, and even became the foundation of an entire world on the Reverse Side, Vahn would call these people fools. There was a good chance that Yggdrasil was a Tier 5 being but, in the grand scheme of things, that just made them a higher-tiered God since they had dominion over various Laws.
From what he could tell, Solon, if given enough time, would eventually turn into a World Tree. They had shed their humanity a long time ago, likely after being thrown into the Well of Fate, so there was little chance of them regaining what was lost. There was even a chance that, during the convergence, Solon would be reabsorbed by Yggdrasil so, in the end, Vahn believed his decision had saved them from a fate worse than death.
Even though Yggdrasil seemed to be a benevolent and kind entity, there was little chance Solon's Ego would be able to survive the merger. They had suffered for thousands of years so it would be exceptionally tragic if, on the cusp of obtaining some semblance of freedom and happiness, they were forced to serve as a sacrifice for Yggdrasil's revival...
While Vahn was thinking about the best method to help Solon obtain happiness, the latter slowly peeled their eyes open. It felt like their body was being crushed by the pressure of an entire ocean but, alongside the pain, a phenomenal amount of energy now circulated through their body. It gave them a feeling as though they would be able to overcome anything but, most importantly, it made them feel 'alive' for the first time in a long time.
In an attempt to move to a seated position, Solon mustered up what little strength remained in their body, a pained groan escaping their lips as a result. Then, just as the movement seemed impossible, a set of warm hands helped guide them the rest of the way, both sending a gentle stream of energy into their body. This caused Solon to release a contented sigh as, everywhere the energy flowed, great relief followed.
Vahn expected Solon to complain about the fact he had placed one of his hands on their abdomen but, seeing them show no particular response, he opted to explain, "The procedure went without any major hiccups. It'll take some getting used to but your body now has its own Magic Circuits. Though it might take a while, you should try and familiarize yourself with using proper Magic from now on. It is never good to be entirely reliant on Artifacts and equipment..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Solon looked up at him, their Mystic Eyes glowing with a light that would unnerve most people. Vahn, however, was entirely unaffected so, after a few tense moments, they asked, "Is that your first order as my Master?"
The moment Solon asked their question, both Vahn and the person in question showed expressions of surprise. For some reason, the form of address that had annoyed them in the past now sounded 'natural', unnerving Solon and causing their Loyalty value to drop a few points. If not for the obvious surprise on Vahn's face, this value would have dropped even lower as Solon momentarily considered whether or not he had implanted something in their subconscious to make them more submissive.
No longer feeling comfortable with Vahn touching them, Solon batted his hands away before trying to rise to their feet. They had already recovered enough to move around without too much pain but standing turned out to be too high an obstacle, at least until Vahn used Telekinesis to support them. This caused Solon to feel bitter but, knowing he wasn't trying to shame them, they accepted his help in restoring their robes and Artifacts.
After dawning the [Seal of Yggdrasil], Solon felt as if all of their power returned. To their surprise, this seemed to be nothing more than a drop in the bucket, however, and, even after several minutes had passed, their reserves had continued to increase. By the time they were fully dressed, Solon felt like they had enough power to level an entire continent, causing them to gaze at Vahn, an incredulous look in their eyes as they asked, "These aren't 'normal' Magic Circuits...are they? I don't even think the Barthomeloi's Blue Blood Magic Circuits can compare to these."
Since the deed was already done, Vahn just shrugged in response to Solon before answering, "I don't take half-measures when messing around with other people's bodies. Though their structure isn't all that different from the norm, those Magic Circuits have a functionally infinite potential for growth. If you put in the effort, you can become much stronger in the future. Even transcending the Gods isn't as difficult as you might expect so work hard..."
//Solon Yggdrasil: Loyalty +13//
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Dick Wizard to the rescue~!','Vahn be like, "Oh, it is so much easier to move them around when they are unconscious~"','RIP Solon, you put up a good fight')
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Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
298 Power
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